Change of Hearts
by EspoirDio
Summary: Niles, do you remember that day so many years ago when we were married?" she whispered softly into the silence. Set at the end of season 4 when Niles had his heart attack.Flashback, but then continues in canon.


**Hello, Hello!So to those of you who are reading my sequel to Again and Again and have wondered why I haven't updated in like...a week or so,this is why. lol I just had this sudden oneshot idea and had to write it down. It is set at the end of season 4, Niles just had his heart attack and well...we all know what he does first when he wakes up, don't we? ;) I hope you enjoy this and please read and review!**

**Disclaimer: They aren't mine...but I love them...**

Change of Hearts

_by EspoirDio_

„Niles, do you remember that day so many years ago when we were married?" she whispered softly into the silence.

It was late at night and the hospital was deserted. She sat alone with him in a double room which she had fought hard to keep empty. He never would have been able to afford a single room, nor would he have wanted to, but she felt partly responsible for him being there in the first place, so she figured she owed him somehow. Of course no-one knew of this kind gesture, not Maxwell to whom it didn't even occur that it was strange that this particular double room was never fully used and not to the loud-mouthed Nanny who always marveled at that peculiar fact. C.C. tried never to be in the room at the same time with them but always returned at night to keep watch over him, money and power finally used for a good cause. She had tried before to go back home and get some sleep in her comfortable double bed, but instead fears and doubts had crept into her heart and she figured that she might as well be alone with her thoughts, but not entirely alone. Niles' silent presence calmed and worried her all at once. He was there, his body warm and his heart steadily beating again, enough to sooth her a little and yet he hadn't woken yet. Maybe life wasn't desirable enough to return to…

"I think you remember, Niles, you did years ago too…."

She lightly took his hand in hers and caressed it. Years ago they had been at this very same place, but confronted with a situation far worse.  
>Sara Sheffield, friend to them both, had been admitted to hospital after a terrible accident on the motorway. She had been alive, but barely…all her energy slowly dwindling. In her last remaining days she had refused the tubes and the medication, she had wanted to feel like herself again she had said, but she had never again been the same. C.C. remembered standing by the window, her back turned to everyone so they wouldn't be able to see her face. Sara had been violently sick for the third time that day, insisting however that it had only to do with the sleepy drowsiness she had awoken with and that it was nothing to worry about. Niles, sensing that his friend was approaching her end, had sent Maxwell home to gather the kids. Then he had helped Sara back into bed and washed her face with a gentle ease that was quite astounding to her at that very moment. Sara had slipped into a light sleep not much later, worn out from fighting. That's when C.C., sick of the current situation, had turned around to face him.<br>„Niles, do you remember that day so many years ago when we were married?" she had whispered softly into the silence. He had slowly lifted his head, his eyes filled with pain and deep sorrow, his face lined with unspeakable aching.  
>"I do…" his voice had been hoarse, making her wonder when he had last taken a sip of his water.<br>"We were happy, weren't we?" she softly continued, taking an almost shy step towards the bed.  
>"It was a different time…you weren't who you are now and neither was I." There had been a finality to his tone, that had stung and made her turn around again.<p>

"I think you were right then, Niles," C.C. now continued, pressing her lips to his hand "you weren't the butler and I wasn't the socialite. We were C.C. and Niles, young and for that one day so utterly free of any rules or boundaries…we were in love…"

"_I'm so happy that you're here, Chas." Sara Newman, soon to be Sheffield said, eyeing her friend through the mirror. _

_"Well, life has been busy but that's no excuse to miss a friend's wedding." C.C. smiled back, adjusting Sara's veil. _

_All the hairdressers, family members and friends had already left the room to take their places in the chapel, leaving only Sara and C.C. behind. _

_"Since when do you have that attitude?" Sara chuckled "Little Miss "I-can't-stop-working-since-I-got-my-degree." _

_C.C. shrugged and turned around a little to hide her face. __"Things change…" _

_"Hey," Sara too turned around on her chair and grabbed her friend's wrist "you know I didn't mean it like that. You are nothing like your father." _

_C.C. smiled a little but her eyes remained sad. "And yet we're still family…the similarities can't be overlooked sometimes…" _

_Sara nodded and sighed and for a moment wished she hadn't said anything at all; Stuart Babcock had always been C.C.'s weak spot. _

_"Are you nervous?" C.C. asked after a while, looking at Sara through the mirror again. _

_"Actually not at all," her eyes sparkled with happiness "I know Maxwell is down there sweating and waiting…but I'm surprisingly calm. I was more concerned earlier in planning this wedding but now that it's here…what's to be nervous about? I'm marrying the man of my dreams whom I'm going to grow old with and I'm going to celebrate that love today. It's wonderful…not scary." And she sighed deeply. "You'll see, Chas, you'll see…" _

_"I don't think I'll ever be married," C.C. contradicted with a small smile "but I do appreciate what you're trying to say." _

_"Chastity, I do think-" But whatever Sara was thinking was to remain with her alone, for at that moment the door was pushed open and a blonde man appeared in the room. _

_"Ever heard of knocking?" C.C. snapped at him, while taking a step towards him. _

_"Of course," he replied smoothly, a grin sneaking over his face "and I did knock, maybe you need to get your hearing checked." _

_"Me?" she scoffed, placing her hands on her hips "You're the old man here." _

_"Alright, stop it you two," Sara interrupted, chuckling softly "what is it?" _

_"Maxwell sent me," the man with the deep-blue eyes replied "he's ready, so is the priest." _

_Sara smiled warmly and rose to her feet, assisted by C.C. who smoothed out her veil again. _

_"Thank you, go to Max and tell him I'm ready to marry him too."_

_The man nodded and then let his eyes swoop over to C.C. a last time. "I'll see you in the chapel, if you find the way without the help of a dog." _

_And with that he left, before she had a chance to reply. C.C. shook her head and muttered something under her breath about the impertinent man, but then focused on the task at hand again. _

* * *

><p><em>The ceremony was beautiful and simple, very much hitting the taste of both Maxwell and Sara. C.C. sat in the first row and watched how her University friend married the man she loved, saw how they exchanged vows and rings and felt a sudden, unexpected pull at her heart, a desire to do the same one day. Sara was radiant, truly radiant and seemed to hold the nervous Maxwell upright. <em>

_C.C. slipped into the background once the ceremony was over, too many people were present to congratulate and talk and so she found herself a table in a corner of the room and merely watched. _

_"Why are you hiding like that?" a male voice mocked all of a sudden "Have the villagers with the torches and pitchforks come by already?" _

_She rolled her eyes and turned around, confronted with the blonde-haired man for the second time. _

_"You're good, but shouldn't you be standing in some dirty bar doing best of nothing?" she tossed back lazily, taking a sip of her champagne. _

_The man chuckled, a sound so warm that it sent a pleasant tingling down her spine. A moment later, she heard the scrape of wood on wood as he pulled back a chair and sank down on it next to her. _

_"Niles Brightmore, I'm an old friend of Maxwell's." he smiled, offering his hand. _

_"Yes," she nodded, a playful smile on her lips "we already discussed the "old" part." _

_"You're a sharp one, I like that." he said softly, leaning in closer, his hand still suspended in mid-air. _

_His remark caught her so off guard that she felt the warmth rush to her face. Surprised by her sudden shyness his eyes turned even softer and he finally took her hand, intertwining their fingers instantly. _

_"I actually wondered if I might have this dance, but seeing as you didn't even give me your name yet, I'm guessing my chances are slim…" _

_She brought her eyes up to meet his then and seemed to have entirely changed. Everything was warmer and gentler about her and she nodded wordlessly and allowed him to lead her to the dance floor. He carefully wrapped one arm around her waist, the palm resting on the small of her back and softly pulled her closer. _

_"I'm Claire…" she whispered into his ear after a while of dancing "Chastity Claire Babcock." _

_"Pleased to meet you," he whispered back and dared to pull her a little closer still. _

_"So…are you always this mean?" she chuckled quietly. _

_"Only when I've found something that appeals to me," he grinned back. _

_"Some method you got there," she continued, pulling back a little to look at him. _

_"Seems to be working though." he winked at her. _

_"Don't count on it," and she chuckled again. _

_This time, when she leaned back against him, she allowed her cheek to rest against his. He sighed almost inaudibly and gently rubbed his thumb over her back while continuing to sway them to the sound of the music. After a while though the song ended and their bodies reluctantly came to a standstill. She looked up at him again; her light-blue eyes visibly nervous and he held her close. This was the moment and he knew it, her lips were far too inviting and her nervousness incredibly endearing. He leaned in slowly, giving her time to realize what he was doing, but a second later wished he hadn't done so, as C.C. bolted from his arms and fled the room. He gave himself some time to focus on his surroundings again, everything that had ceased to exist when she was near, and then made himself chase after her. She was on the balcony, her back to him, her fingers nervously strumming against the metal of the rail. _

_"Hey," he said, stepping closer but remained behind her without touching her, but near enough to let her feel the proximity of his body "isn't it customary to flee after a kiss? Now you don't even know how good or bad I am." _

_"I can't believe you…are you really this carefree?" she asked, her back still turned to him "Don't you even question how it could get this far? We only met a few hours ago." _

_"Ever heard of love at first sight?" he hummed and leaned a bit closer, so that his lips were almost brushing against her neck. _

_"I don't love you," she snapped and whirled around, but he could tell that she was still in a state of panic. _

_"Isn't it lovely when a woman is so direct?" he smirked and remained close "But Babcock, I'm not letting you get away." _

_"Not letting me-" she mumbled incredulously "You have no say in the matter! It has been decided." _

_"No, it hasn't," he grinned and twirled a strand of her hair around his finger "I haven't given my consent." _

_"Niles," she sighed and there was definite longing in her voice. _

_"Chastity," he smiled "just stop thinking for a moment. Just shut off that voice that tells you to run." _

_"I can't…this is crazy…I hardly know you." she insisted, however, made no move to back away. _

_"Then come away with me this weekend and get to know me." he said softly, carefully stepping a little closer. _

_"I can't just run away with you," she looked at her feet. _

_"Who says that?" he asked "I can assure you, I have no bad intentions. Come on, Babcock, let's make a deal. We'll go away together for this weekend where nobody knows us and just see where this can go. No thinking…just for this weekend be with me and then I'll stop pestering you, I promise." _

_She didn't reply, she didn't look up and he was actually holding his breath. Niles didn't blame her for doubting and questioning, the situation was highly unusual for him as well, but he knew that if she would just stop for a moment and feel, that he could win her over, that he could make her his. _

_"Alright," her voice was quiet, but her agreement rang loud and make his chest swell with hope. _

_"Alright?" he repeated, cupping her face and making her look at him. _

_"Alright," she echoed and nodded. _

_He just looked into her eyes, running his thumbs gently over her cheeks and smiled. _

_"Thank you," and then he kissed her. _

_She sighed instantly, parting her lips invitingly but he decided not to push her yet. Keeping his kisses light and chaste he merely tentatively ran his tongue over her lips to see how she'd respond. Then he pulled away and gave her another radiant smile._

_"Come on then, let's get away…" and he took her hand and led her out of the building. _

_They drove for miles endlessly until the darkness had enveloped them in his car that smelled of pinewood and herbs. _

_"Where are we going?" she asked after a while, looking visibly relaxed. _

_"I have no idea," he grinned "an adventure. Not knowing where we're going is part of the fun, isn't it?" _

_"Yes," she nodded and squeezed his thigh._

A few hours later they arrived in a tiny village in some state, C.C. hadn't looked, hadn't wanted to know anymore. Niles got out of the car, rounded it and opened the door for her, taking her hand instantly.

"Trying to woo me?" she grinned.

"Who says trying? I think my charms are yet again irresistible."

"God, I wish you were wrong." she chuckled and pressed her lips to his.

He returned it for a moment and then broke away.

"Come on; let's see if we can spend a few nights here."

And he led her into the B&B. The owner of the place was very warm and welcoming and made them a cup of hot cocoa while they waited for their room to be prepared.

"You two look positively radiant." she commented after a while "How long have you been together for?"

"Oh we-" Niles began, but to his surprise C.C. cut him off.

"We just eloped!" she grinned and giggled a little "But it's a secret."

"Oh wonderful!" the owner exclaimed and pulled them both into a hug "Let me just change your names to Mr. and Mrs. Brightmore then." And she scurried away.

"A few hours ago you were trying to get away from me and now we're married?" Niles grinned, taking her hand again.

"Yes well, you told me not to think." she grinned back.

_Their room was robust and comfortable, most of the furniture made out of wood and C.C. was particularly happy to find no flowery tapestry or cat figurines. _

_"This is nice," Niles voiced what she was thinking and sat down on the edge of the bed._

_"You know tomorrow I'm going to have to buy some clothes…" she chuckled. _

_"Well, so do I…you know some stereotypes aren't true." he grinned back. _

_"Aren't they? Then why does your shirt have almost as many wrinkles as your face?" she teased, joining him. _

_"Shut your mouth, impossible woman." _

_And he pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately. He still marveled at how easily she moulded to him, how easily he could appease her by capturing her lips. No woman had ever so willingly reacted to his kisses, nor had he imagined C.C. to be like that. _

_"So a nice hearty breakfast and then a walk around town?" she asked once they had pulled apart, and he nodded. _

_They didn't do much that evening, just enjoyed each other's company. When it became late and the events of the day caught up with them, he put his suit and tie away and handed her his shirt to wear for the night. She took it gratefully and then moved to the window to change. All the lights were off, the street lantern outside proving the only illumination and Niles watched the woman he was certain he'd marry one day for real, undress. First went the shoes, making her a little smaller and then the dress. For a moment she reached behind her, her arm bent at an awkward angle until her fingers found the zipper, which she then slid downwards excruciatingly slowly, almost as if she knew that he was watching. As more and more of her skin was revealed, he sat up a little in bed, attempting subtly to gain a closer look. She was of the most exquisite proportions, which was more visible now that she was entirely exposed to him. He let his eyes wander from her neck, down the gentle swoop of her back and to her well-rounded butt. Her dress dropped and landed with a quiet thud at her feet. Soon after her arms moved back again to unclasp her bra and in the faint golden glow of the lantern he caught a glimpse of her mounds. He swallowed; his throat dry already and at last tore his eyes away, lest she catch him in the act. And just a minute later he could feel her weight pressing down on the mattress next to him. She looked beautiful in his shirt, but he knew that such a body would look good in anything yet he felt the odd desire to request she'd only wear his shirt from now on. He shook his head to clear it of the wandering thoughts and gave her a smile instead. _

_"Are you still nervous?" he asked, watching her inch closer. She scrunched her nose thoughtfully for a moment but then shook her head with a grin. _

_"No, I feel…fine, actually, comfortable…" and she pecked his cheek. _

_"I'm glad," and he wrapped his arms around her "goodnight, Mrs. Brightmore." _

_"Goodnight, Mr. Brightmore." _

* * *

><p><em>He was awake before her the next morning and it took him a little bit of time to remember why he was in bed with a stranger, but her blonde hair sprawled across his chest was finally a good indication. He smiled softly at her sleeping form and lightly caressed her arm while simply drinking her in. Then she mumbled something and shifted in her sleep, so that their contact was broken. Quietly and very careful not to wake her up, he rolled on his side and watched her again. The shirt had fallen slightly open during the night and he couldn't resist the tingling in his fingertips that told him to unbutton it entirely. He pondered for a moment that would she wake up now, she might call him a cad and thus call off the rest of their weekend, but when his knuckles lightly grazed the tender skin of her stomach all doubts were forgotten. After all, he had no intentions of ravishing her against her will. <em>

_"What are you doing?" her quiet voice came, but she didn't sound reproachful. _

_"Misbehaving," he replied, lowering his lips to her skin "but I just can't help myself, Chastity, you are too beautiful." _

_When his mouth found her skin again he smiled because he felt her tiny hairs stand on end. _

_"Do you like that?" his voice was velvety smooth. _

_"I think it's safe to say by now that I like a lot of things you do…" _

_"Mmh…and here I was not 5 minutes ago, thinking you might throw me out if I did this…" he hummed, lightly trailing kisses up her stomach. _

_"On the contrary," she sighed. _

_He stopped for a moment to look at her again and then lightly parted the fabric that kept her breasts hidden. There was no indication of nervousness of any kind, but when he placed a gentle kiss just beneath her left breast he perceived the rapid beating of her heart. He was mesmerized listening to its frantic beating despite the woman's relative cool exterior. It was this contrast that made her even more appealing to him. He allowed his lips to linger just a bit longer and then tore himself away reluctantly, allowing his hands to take their place. He used the tip of his index finger to trace the contours of her breasts, exploring their roundness and gave a soft sigh when her nipples hardened in anticipation. _

_"Patience, Mrs. Brightmore," he softly chuckled but then couldn't control his instincts any longer either and so took one stiff peak between his lips. _

_She felt cool against his hot mouth and he sucked gently, drawing her first moan from her throat. _

_"I do think you're quite exquisite," he mumbled in a low voice and ran his tongue over her nipple to sooth it. _

_"And I do think you are quite the charmer," she replied, chuckling softly but unable to hide the slight shaking of her voice._

_"I simply rely on you, Mrs. Brightmore, to tell me if something is not to your liking."_

_He lifted his head to grin at her and just caught her rolling her eyes. _

_"You are impossible…" _

_"And I'm all yours," and he captured her lips with his. _

_For a moment she went limp against him again, but then wrapped her arms around his neck and guided him closer to quickly tease his tongue with hers. _

_"Demanding," was all he managed to get out, before his senses were overwhelmed by her sweet seduction. _

_He broke the kiss after a while though, not trusting himself if she continued to turn him on like that. So he sat back up and lightly pulled her against him to then slip the shirt off her shoulders. Then he lay down with her again, facing her, her body pulled firmly against his and her nipples grazing his chest in an almost maddening way. _

_"Good God, woman, I'd like to ravish you now." he confessed in a voice that barely concealed his excitement. _

_"Then why don't you?" she replied, her eyes sparkling almost playfully. _

_"Because I want to explore you first, learn you…" he softly answered; the warmth and honesty of his tone so strong that she had to avert her eyes. __"Nothing to be ashamed of," he whispered, pressing his lips to her temple and then lightly ran his fingertips down her side. _

_He did so repeatedly, before that wasn't enough as well and his fingers moved downwards further to trace her butt. She shivered again and sighed against him, causing him to twitch so strongly that he feared she must have noticed. But if she had, she was giving him no indication of it and encouraged by that he proceeded. Gently he turned her, so she came to rest on her stomach and then drew an invisible line from her neck to her butt. _

_"So you are a brunette?" he whispered softly, placing a kiss on her shoulder, while looking at the dark roots of her otherwise blonde hair. _

_"That's a secret," she replied and he could hear a definite smile to her voice. _

_"Don't worry, I'll keep it." he promised and then moved his eyes over her back again. _

_Her skin was of the most beautiful pale colour, each inch beckoning to be touched. He trailed kisses down to her shoulder blades and then followed the swoop of her back that had enticed him so at first glance. To him she was perfect, and while looking alone had make his heart race, touching her now so intimately was almost too beautiful to bear. _

_"My God, woman…" he sighed deeply, and lightly pressed his face in the space between her shoulders blades, certain that she could feel his smile against her skin. Then he slowly followed the line of her spine down to her butt and kissed each cheek softly, while his hands spread her legs a little. He shifted a bit to have better access to her and then kissed her thighs lovingly while lightly teasing her core with his index finger. _

_"Niles," she moaned and he could feel her tense with surprise for a second. _

_"Relax," he whispered back and placed a kiss in the hollow of her knee. _

_"But I want you," she groaned, a combination that almost made him twitch again with excitement. _

_With one swift move he was sitting up and had pulled her to him. _

_"I want you too, Chastity!" and their lips met again in a passionate kiss. _

_Their first love-making started off hot and frantic, but as their bodies grew accustomed to each other, they both relaxed and reached a slow and exquisite climax. _

_After they had rested in each other's arms, they got dressed and went to explore the little village. It was small and cozy, perfect for two lovers who had only recently found each other. There they could enjoy the luxury of walking hand in hand, without being asked any questions because nobody knew them. A small market was in town and so they bought lots of chocolate and freshly made juice, some wine and even a hat for C.C. It was a deep red beret that she never would have picked in a million years, as it only drew attention to her, but Niles had liked it and she felt utterly weak from time to time where he was concerned. _

_"And sometimes your ear sticks out in that cute way," he chuckled, as they were walking back to the B&B. _

_It was later in the evening and the sun had already set. _

_"If you comment on my ear one more time, Brightmore, I swear I'll throw the blasted thing away." she snapped, but playfully. _

_He laughed loudly and drew her closer against him. "No you don't, I just paid a fortune for it. You'll wear it and you'll bloody well like it." And before she could argue further, he had silenced her with a kiss. _

_But their good mood didn't remain intact for much longer. As their second evening together drew to a hold C.C. realized more and more that they would not only have to part ways the following day, but that there were also so many things they hadn't considered. She didn't know anything about him but the basics, not who he was really or when he'd come to America. Niles, sensing the cause of her tension always chose to conveniently distract her by seducing her, to put off that dreaded moment a bit longer. _

_"The bath is ready, Chastity," he announced softly, already naked apart from a towel that was wrapped around his waist. _

_She had been standing by the window for the past few minutes and he'd be damned if he'd let her slip away now. When she didn't react he walked over to her and slipped his hand in hers, turning her around. Her blue eyes were deep and sad. _

_"Not yet, Chastity, tomorrow…" he softly whispered and captured her lips lightly, before leading her into the bathroom with him. _

_He undressed her tenderly, as she was still not making any moves to act and then tugged at her hand to get her to step into the tub. Once she was inside he followed suit and pulled her body against his. _

_"You promised me the weekend, Chastity," he reminded her gently, caressing her neck with his lips "and we still have tonight." _

_"But what if-" she began, but he cut her off. _

_"No, we'll deal with that tomorrow…not tonight, please…" _

_And when she looked into his eyes she realized that she wasn't the only one that was scared. He too was afraid to face the consequences of their actions and strangely that knowledge was what persuaded her to stay. For one more night they would be Chastity Claire and Niles Brightmore, recently eloped and madly in love. For one more night she'd give in to him and not face whatever it was the next morning would bring. He washed her that night, gently and tenderly, learning her body anew and after she had repaid the favour they made love again until they fell asleep in each other's arms. _

* * *

><p><em>C.C. awoke when the first light of the day fell through the window. She turned on her side and watched him for a moment before the weight of her looming decision started to press down too hard on her. She was just at the beginning of her career, still trying to get a foot into the door at this male dominated business world. It was bad to fall in love now, especially with a man she knew nothing about… they had had their weekend of crazy freedom, but it was time to put an end to it now. <em>

_"Niles," her voice was quiet but he awoke immediately, his eyes focusing on hers. _

_"It's over?" he asked, his voice devoid of emotion. _

_She merely nodded and averted her eyes. _

_"Then we should go," now he sounded tired, as if he had suddenly aged over night._

_She couldn't stop herself then, felt too tenderly for him already to simply let him go like this. And so her hands cupped his face and she traced the skin she had grown so accustomed to feeling against hers. _

_"Thank you," her eyes swam with a mixture of true joy and deep melancholy and her lips gently caressed his. _

_"I thought I could-" he began but she cut him off by deepening the kiss. She didn't want to hear which hopes and dreams she had dashed when she had made a promise she never could keep, she just wanted to fix it all somehow until he was capable to be happy without her again._

_They drove back to New York in silence and all the while C.C. could hear his unuttered question: Won't you wonder what might have been?_

"You didn't even have to ask me that, Niles." she spoke aloud again, still cradling his hand in hers "I knew I'd always regret that decision and yet there was no other one to make at that point in time. But I haven't forgotten about that weekend, Niles, and neither have you. So…I'm ready now, Niles. Just wake up and show me that you haven't forgotten what happened then…just show me that there's more to us than the pranks and the fights."


End file.
